Notifications are among the most widespread features in mobile apps. Whatever it is, a message or comment on a social network, an update to an application, an announcement or a reminder, notifications are made to provide useful information to users in a convenient way. However, these seemingly simple parts of your software require as much thinking as anything else, especially in terms of the message you want to send. After all, if you pay less attention to the smaller things, it’s much easier to make them mean.
What’s in a notification?
Apple divides notifications into local and push (remote). The difference has been made very clear by Apple:
– Local notifications are scheduled by an app and delivered to the device itself.
– Push notifications, also known as remote notifications, are sent by your server to Apple’s push notification service, which sends the notification to devices.
In addition to alerts and banners, notifications include sounds and badges, as evidenced by iOS. This is what is visible to users. Badge numbers usually indicate a number of specific things (upcoming events, unread messages, or updates/files to download). An application can also specify a short, distinctive sound to alert the user.
Functional notifications: right time, right place
Local notifications are sent to users when the app is running in the foreground. They are often used to ask users to rate the app and write a review, offering rewards, offering to download and install a new update, as well as offering to show new features afterwards. All of this works to encourage users, for the sake of a rich experience.
Push notifications involve server interactions and are typically delivered to users when the app is running in the background. While local notifications draw users in, push notifications draw users back to the app.
Simply put, the quality of the message defines your success. Both push and local are widely used in mobile marketing. And it’s pretty easy to keep in mind the following things that will help keep your notifications healthy.
Notifications in marketing: how not to exaggerate
Notifications are made to get the attention of users. But for the same reason they are overused as any app owner can find a lot to inform users. But notifications in marketing should mean effective dialogue and clear answers to your questions, not mobile spam. Let your users decide if they want to receive something, how they will receive it, and what topics would be relevant to them.
– Abusive apps are generally hated: Irrelevant and interrupted notifications are treated by many as eye-catching offenders and are hated just as much as irrelevant banner ads with garish colors. While users love the value that apps provide, they hate anything that has no value.
– The content and frequency of notifications are important. The less personalized these notifications are, the more annoying they will appear to users. Different users find value in different information and different messages. They can then decide whether to open the app or dismiss the notification.
– Timely notifications mean success. The notification schedule must be properly drafted, with adjustments by time zones. They can be recurring: daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
– It is always recommended to keep in mind that push notifications, which require internet access, drain your smartphone’s battery, another good reason not to overdo it.
The rule of thumb here is to target the right people with the right offer, and be sparing with that. Unfortunately, each of us must have encountered at least one application where this rule is broken to some extent. Instead of relevant and location-aware offers, news and reminders, users may simply get a perfect anti-compromise tool, which will be abandoned.
